The surname lauten is a German occupational surname that evolved in the region known as the Rhineland. Germans at first used only one name, but population growth and increased travel in medieval times caused confusion between people of the same name, forcing the people to adopt hereditary surnames. These names often identified people by the kind of work they did. lauten is a name for a musician who played the lute. Occupational names that were derived from the common trades of the medieval era transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries. This phenomenon is demonstrated by names such as the German name Schumaker, which means a maker of shoes, the Ashkenazic Jewish name Zimmerman, which means carpenter, the Polish and Jewish name Stolarski, which means joiner, the Dutch name Schuyler, which means teacher and the Italian name Calderone, which means seller of spices.

Early Origins of the lauten family

The surname lauten was first found in the Rhineland, where the name could be considered to have made a great contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of modern Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the national conflicts, in which each group sought power and status in an ever changing territorial profile.

Early History of the lauten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our lauten research.Another 244 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1400 and 1706 are included under the topic Early lauten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

lauten Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of lauten include Lauterer, Laut, Lauten, Lauth, Lautmann, Lautemann, Lautermann, Lauteman and many more.

Early Notables of the lauten family (pre 1700)

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early lauten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the lauten family to the New World and Oceana

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The lauten were among of the early German families that came to North America: Leonard Lauter, who came to Philadelphia in 1752. Philipp Laut arrived in Philadelphia in 1838; Johann Lauteman came to Maryland in 1760; and Michael Lauth came to Philadelphia in 1764. Johann Peter Lautermann came to Philadelphia in 1738..